Tool and method for crimping a part on a support

Abstract

Tool for crimping an element onto a support member, including a movably mounted rod, a first chamber containing a first fluid, a second chamber containing a second fluid, a piston movably mounted inside the second chamber and separating the second chamber into first and second compartments, an input terminal suitable for being connected to a second fluid source, and a main valve configured to direct the second fluid into the second compartment in order to move the piston to reduce the pressure of the first fluid and drive the rod in a direction opposite to a crimping direction.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. Crimping tool for crimping a part onto a support comprising:
 a rod mounted movable and configured to collaborate in removable manner with the part; 
 a first chamber containing a first fluid; 
 a second chamber containing a second fluid; 
 a piston mounted movable and having a body in contact with the first fluid and a head coupled to the body, the head being mounted movable inside the second chamber and separating the second chamber into first and second compartments; 
 an inlet terminal designed to be connected to a source of the second fluid; 
 an outlet terminal designed to allow outlet of the second fluid; 
 a main valve connected to the first compartment, the inlet terminal, the outlet terminal and the second compartment, the main valve being configured to direct the second fluid into the first compartment to move the piston so as to increase a pressure of the first fluid to bring about a movement of the rod in a crimping direction and crimp the part to the support, the main valve being configured to direct the second fluid into the second compartment to move the piston so as to reduce the pressure of the first fluid to bring about a movement of the rod in an opposite direction to the crimping direction, the main valve comprising a member mounted movable between a rest position in which the second compartment is coupled to the inlet terminal and the first compartment is coupled to the outlet terminal, and an active position in which the first compartment is coupled to the inlet terminal and the second compartment is coupled to the outlet terminal; 
 a trigger valve connected to the inlet terminal and to the member of the main valve by a feed pipe, the trigger valve being configured to connect the feed pipe with the inlet terminal to move the member of the main valve to the active position; 
 the main valve comprising an elastic component connected to the member of the main valve and configured to move the member of the main valve to its rest position when a pressure of the second fluid exerted on the member of the main valve is lower than a pressure exerted by the elastic component on the member of the main valve, 
 a detection valve connected to the feed pipe, to the first fluid, and to the member of the main valve by an auxiliary duct, and wherein the detection valve is configured to connect the auxiliary duct with the feed pipe when a pressure of the first fluid is higher than a threshold to move the member of the main valve to its rest position. 
 
     
     
       2. The crimping tool according to  claim 1 , wherein comprising
 a motor designed to be actuated by the second fluid and coupled to the rod, 
 a control valve connected to the inlet terminal, to the auxiliary duct and to the motor by a control line, the control valve being configured to connect the control line with the inlet terminal in order to drive the rod in rotation to unscrew the rod from the part, the rod being threaded to be able to be screwed onto the part. 
 
     
     
       3. The crimping tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the second chamber is made from a material comprising polyester fibres. 
     
     
       4. Method for crimping a part onto a support, comprising:
 providing a crimping tool according to  claim 1 , 
 removably fixing the rod of the crimping tool with the part and injecting the second fluid into the first compartment to move the piston so as to increase a pressure of the first fluid to bring about a movement of the rod in a crimping direction and crimp the part to the support, 
 injecting the second fluid into the second compartment to move the piston so as to reduce the pressure of the first fluid to bring about a movement of the rod in an opposite direction to the crimping direction.